Search operators
The CercaPosta search box combines free text and operators. Operators restrict fields such as sender, date, folder or attachments; free text searches indexed content. You can build the same criteria with the filter form. Examples use demonstration data that you should replace with values from your archive.
Syntax
Use operator:value. Put values containing spaces in quotation marks. Dates use YYYY-MM-DD. English aliases are also accepted in the Italian interface.
Scroll the table horizontally to read every column.
| Criterion | English / Italian operator | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sender | from: / da: |
from:smith |
| Recipient | to: / a: |
to:customer@example.test |
| Copy | cc: |
cc:smith |
| Subject | subject: / oggetto: |
subject:"framework agreement" |
| Attachments | has: / ha: |
has:pdf or has:attachment |
| Start date | after: / dopo: |
after:2026-01-01 |
| End date | before: / prima: |
before:2026-06-30 |
| Folder | folder: / cartella: |
folder:"Customers/Aurora" |
| Shared folder | shared: / condivisa: |
shared:"mario/Customers" |
| Tag | tag: |
tag:contracts |
| Message size | size: / dim: |
size:>5M |
| Individual attachment size | attachment: / allegato: |
attachment:>10M |
The account filter is available in the filter form. To select a source unambiguously, use the value offered by the interface.
Combining criteria
from:smith has:pdf contract searches for “contract” in messages from the selected sender that have a PDF. Adding different criteria narrows the results.
Multiple folder: operators use OR: matching any selected subtree is sufficient. Multiple tag: operators also select any one of the tags, not necessarily all of them.
Sizes and attachments
Sizes accept comparisons such as >, <, >=, <= and =. K, M and G use multiples of 1024. size: concerns the whole message; attachment: requires at least one attachment to meet the limit.
has:cv recognises the résumé category when available; it is not just a search for “cv” in a filename. Embedded images and signature logos do not count as ordinary attachments.
If a search is too restrictive
Remove one filter at a time and check the folder scope. Results depend on indexed messages and your permissions. For a guided exercise, see your first search.
Example: combine criteria in the filter form
The filter form lets you set the same criteria without typing operators. In this example we search for FA-2026-0001, then select sender david.demo@cercaposta.it, attachment type pdf and the period from 1 to 31 August 2026. Apply filters returns the two matching messages. Active criteria remain visible above the results.
Read the video transcript
Start with the six messages about the agreement and make the search more precise.
Open the filter form from the search bar.
Choose the sender, PDF attachments, and the month of August twenty twenty-six.
Apply the filters. Two messages remain, with the active criteria shown above the results.
View screenshots of the steps
